Ojc
Member
Registered: 14th Nov 00
Location: Reading: Drives : Clio 197
User status: Offline
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Another good post from a English poster
Wow, rarely have I seen such vitriol, particularly against the English from Americans.
Let me give my post a little context. I'm an English TVR owner, but a big fan of the USA. My last two girlfriends have been American and I work for an American company. I've visited your shores seven times in the last two years and will be spending most of New Year and Christmas in the US. I've probably visited as many states as the *average* American (12 by New Year) and eventually hope to do all 50 - just one of those random ambitions that appear in your head sometimes.
So, I hope the above has communicated clearly that I'm not anti-American, but, just in case any of the frighteningly limited posters on this forum haven't grasped that, let me say it again:
"I AM NOT ANTI-AMERICAN!"
I haven't driven a Corvette but perceieve them to be a desirable car in the appropriate environment, which is generally speaking not British roads as others have mentioned. British roads are often narrow, crowded, twisty and poorly maintained. Driving in the US is an entirely different proposition to driving in the UK.
Jeremy Clarkson is generally perceived as someone who slags off and takes the piss out of *everyone* and *everything*. Think of him as kind of like The Simpsons, but not as funny. Yes, he takes the piss out of the US amongst others, but frankly good luck to him. I find it amusing because I know it is intended as such and I really think some of you shouldn't take it so completely to heart.
Regarding the comments about TVR, I'm afraid some posters are just displaying their ignorance (in Vegas-style neon flashing lights ) for all to see. How can people who claim to love cars disparage a marque that produces cars with 400bhp that weigh 1,100kg (2,425lb) and come with no electronic aids of any kind - it's you and the car and nothing else? The 400bhp TVR Tuscan S will pull 0-100mph in 8.1s as standard and it's bigger brother, the TVR Typhon, has a supercharged engine producing 200bhp more (and bags of torque). Add the standard six speed sequential gearbox and you get a top speed estimated at around 215mph. This is for basic Porsche 911 money. I would have thought that kind of thing appealed to you people? I won't even go into the relationship between TVR and America via one Jack Griffith and the Buick V8...
Finally, I feel I have to comment on some of the utterly unjustifiable abuse of the English on this thread. In my experience many Americans often can't understand why so many outside their own country hate them, afterall, American is a great and free country that leads the world in many aspects. Well, I'll tell you why it is - it's because of some Americans displaying the attitudes I've come across on this thread. Here are some facts for you:
1. Great Britain stood alone against Nazi Germany and her Allies for a sustained period during WWII - we didn't capitulate in six weeks and then dive in to persecuting the Jews like the French (research Vichy France if you don't understand the reference).
2. America did indeed kick the British out. But, please don't forget you didn't do it on your own - we already get sick of hearing how you won the two world wars single handedly. Go and read the history books and perhaps you'll credit the French with their contribution?.... I have visited Boston and seen the American perspective on British rule and the whole sorry history of it was very sad in the sense that it really didn't have to be that way.
3. Next time you're slagging off the English try and spot the irony of what language you're doing it in.
4. Not everyone wants to be America/American. I say again, "Not everyone wants to be America/American." That's not because I hate America, on the contrary I think it is a great country, but I am happy with being English with all the good and bad things that are inherent in that.
5. What is all this nonesense about us being wimps? The British Empire was the largest and greatest in human history and was at its height relatively recently in historical terms. The Empire wasn't formed by us pansying round - it was formed by a military machine the like of which the world had never seen. A country much smaller than Texas had the greatest Navy on the planet for centuries. Take some time to think about that - America didn't even become a superpower until the 1900s...
Also consider the actions of the SAS in Iraq the first time around - according to Stormin' Norman the SAS were the Allied forces, "eyes and ears in Iraq." The SAS are some of the best trained troops in the world and it was in fact an SAS-trained soldier who founded your elite Delta Force. I won't even go into the massively dangerous low-flying missions the Tornadoes flew over Baghdad...
6. The British and the Americans are supposed to be *friends*, not enemies. It is very disappointing to see Americans laying into the English whilst our soldiers are dying supporting your forces in Iraq. No other country supported you like Great Britain after the terrible events of 11th September 2001 and this is what we get in return? America has few friends at the moment and attitudes like this won't help to keep your best one.
7. The British are by no means perfect in terms of slagging off Americans. I all too frequently have to correct Britons who perpetuate the, "Americans are so stupid!" myth. Unfortunately, though they may repeat it, it is people like certain posters on here who provide the basis for the (incorrect) stereotype.
American is a great country. You put a man on the moon and have the world's most powerful economy amongst many other incredible achievements. But let's not forget that America springs partly from Great Britain, a country that shaped civilisation more than any other nation in history. A country that started the industrial revolution, worked out the principles of flight that the Wright brothers used to build their flyer (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3042182.stm), formulated the laws of motion and classical physics, invented the jet engine (and then gave the designs to you guys!), solved most of the major problems facing aircraft carriers, invented public key cryptography, discovered DNA, worked out some of the most important principles of the World Wide Web (Tim Berners-Lee 'The Father of the Web' http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/europ...n.honors.webman), invented the electric motor, radar, computer and television. I say this not to boast, but to try and make some of you understand that we should respect each other because we have much in common, including enemies, and a shared history.
So, if you guys can agree to take the comments of a small number of British TV journalists like Clarkson and Co, whose job it is to be controversial, as the silly jokes they are intended to be, then we can agree to ignore Hollywood's constant re-writing of history and undermining of our war heroes by making movies of true stories about heroic British actions during WWII and prentending they were done by Americans (U571, etc.).
Cheers.
roadie.
PS: To the Brits being condescending in this thread - please give it a break, it doesn't cast us in a good light either
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S1MON
Member
Registered: 9th Nov 01
Location: Woodley, Berkshire
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by VisibleMan
tis old mate, was posted a few days back 
but eitherway, there gonna struggle to "nuke" england considering they cant fire upon their enemies without hitting their own 
very true inbreed muppets 
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Ojc
Member
Registered: 14th Nov 00
Location: Reading: Drives : Clio 197
User status: Offline
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This bloke deserves a medal 
"we dont need anymore preaching or history lessons"
Beg to differ, old bean, but a few remedial history lessons would be in order. Without history you risk making the same mistakes over and over. Do you remember Vietnam? I would guess you do. Commie insurgents in the jungle in SE Asia, kicked US arse (ass) very hard with their sandalled feet. Is this getting irritating yet? Good. Then I will continue! Do you remember Malaya? I would guess you don't. Am I right? Commie insurgents in the jungle in SE Asia. Got their arses kicked very hard by British combat boots. So you do have lessons to learn from us, whether you choose to learn them is up to you. I am not anti-american and I had the pleasure of spending some years in your country. I do business most days with Americans. So I know where you are coming from. On the Corvette, it seems we are touching a raw nerve. We like to do this. We will prod at it (just for fun) and chuckle at the reaction. But one thing bothers me. If the Corvette is right up there with the flag, motherhood and apple pie, I hope you have a few British special forces guarding the factory because can you imagine the impact of the nation's morale if Osama manages to blow it up?
I will leave you with a thought - when John Travolta was looking for a fast, sexy, loud car for his movie 'Swordfish' did he pick a 'Vette? Nope. He picked a TVR"
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CorsAsh
Member
Registered: 19th Apr 02
Location: Munich
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by Nath
http://www.corsasport.co.uk/board/viewthread.php?tid=180633
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